'El Loco' pleads not guilty to more U.S. charges

NEW YORK - A man known in Colombia as "El Loco" has pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges in a U.S. case accusing him of trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine.

Daniel Barrera Barrera entered the plea Thursday in federal court in Brooklyn. He had pleaded not guilty to related narcotics charges on Wednesday in his first court appearance in Manhattan.

Prosecutors have described the 44-year-old Barrera as one of the largest cocaine distributors in history.

Authorities say Barrera laundered tens of millions of dollars of profits as he processed about 30,000 kilograms of raw cocaine into cocaine powder each month since 1998. They also allege he funneled drug proceeds to rebel forces in Colombia.